Cultivation Details
A plant of the dry to moist tropics, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to 1,800 metres[1, 3]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures fall within the range 19 - 31°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 2,300mm[1]. Succeeds in sun or shade[1]. Prefers a well-drained, rich alluvial or sandy soil and a high water table[1]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[1]. A fast-growing species, increasing in height by up to 1 metre a year in colder areas and 2 metres in warmer areas[1]. Under optimal conditions trees start producing fruit when 6 - 8 years old[2]. Seed yields of individual trees vary greatly per tree and per year and range from 20 - 180 kg/year, averaging 45 - 65 kg[2]. The tree responds well to coppicing and also produces suckers[1]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[2].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the surrounding aril should be removed by macerating the seed in water, then sowing it immediately[1]. Sow the fresh seed either directly in situ or into nursery bags. Germination usually takes place within 10 - 20 days[1]. The seedlings can be planted out 6 - 8 months later[3] Cuttings from one year old coppice shoots[1]. Layering[1]. Root suckers[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Trichilia+emetica>
Pollinators
Bees, Sunbirds
References
- [1]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
- [2]Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. — http://www.prota.org ↩︎An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
- [3]Indigenous multipurpose trees of Tanzania. — Hines. D.A. & Eckman. K. · 1993 · ISBN 0-9697075-0-9 ↩︎A simple handbook with information on over 50 species of trees found in Tanzania giving details of environmental requirements, cultivation needs, uses etc. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
- [4]Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania — Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. · Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. · 2002 · ISBN 9966-896-60-0 ↩︎A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
- [5]Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants — http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 ↩︎Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.